Surveys undertaken in Lough Foyle (Aug 2009), Carlingford Lough (Aug-Sep 2012), Strangford Lough (Aug-Sep 2012) and Dundrum Bay (Jul 2012). These surveys are done primarily as part of a rolling 6 year programme for the EU Water Framework Directive. These polygons were mapped and merged to collate inter-tidal seagrass surveys originally assessed as part of the Water Framework Directives suite of Biological Quality Element tools. The data collected can also be used to inform the habitat map as it corresponds to the Eunis code 'A2.611-Mainland Atlantic Zostera noltii or Zostera angustifolia meadows'. Surveys undertaken by Quercus at Queen's University, Belfast on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Northern Ireland (DOE). Subsequently translated into EUNIS habitat classification scheme.

In order to help inform site condition monitoring, Seastar Survey Ltd. were contracted by Natural England to undertake a drop-down video (DDV) survey of the Lune Deep reefs feature with the aim of defining the distribution and extent of any subtidal boulder and/or bedrock reef communities and establishing a baseline for the site against which future condition of these reef sub-features can be assessed. The survey plan was designed to assess the extent and distribution of reef features using a high definition Freshwater Lens Camera System (FLCS). Camera stations were selected using existing acoustic data supplied to Seastar Survey by Natural England. Thirty-nine transects were successfully surveyed.

The objective of this project was to generate seabed habitat maps for locations with full coverage acoustic datasets to as detailed a hierarchical level as possible within the Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland (version 04.05), also known as MNCR classification, (Connor et al. 2004). The acoustic data were at various stages of processing and interpretation, therefore the mapping of habitats and biotopes in some areas have required a greater amount of work to reach the same level compared to other areas. The constituent polygons within the habitat/biotope maps are labelled to an appropriate level of the Habitat Classification and translated to the corresponding EUNIS code. In order to generate seabed habitat maps for the areas the data associated with each area were required to undergo some preliminary preparation and processing in order to ensure suitability and compatibly with the mapping methodologies employed. The data were then processed using several techniques: a top-down approach was adopted based on the methods developed by MESH and UKSeaMap and used by EUSeaMap, which utilised the updated seabed substrate information provided by BGS. In addition a bottom up approach was taken to utilise the recently acquired point sample data and bathymetry and backscatter data sets, and this process took an object based approach supplemented by supervised classification and categorisation. Three maps for each MPA proposal have been produced (the level of habitat detail which could be mapped was restricted to level 3 or 4 of the EUNIS classification and level 2 or 3 of the MNCR classification) with associated metadata and peripheral supplementary data to aid in future analysis and interpretation. A confidence assessment using the MESH confidence assessment method has been undertaken for each habitat map produced and certainty of classification maps accompany each habitat map also.

The objective of this project was to generate seabed habitat maps for locations with full coverage acoustic datasets to as detailed a hierarchical level as possible within the Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland (version 04.05), also known as MNCR classification, (Connor et al. 2004). The acoustic data were at various stages of processing and interpretation, therefore the mapping of habitats and biotopes in some areas have required a greater amount of work to reach the same level compared to other areas. The constituent polygons within the habitat/biotope maps are labelled to an appropriate level of the Habitat Classification and translated to the corresponding EUNIS code. In order to generate seabed habitat maps for the areas the data associated with each area were required to undergo some preliminary preparation and processing in order to ensure suitability and compatibly with the mapping methodologies employed. The data were then processed using several techniques: a top-down approach was adopted based on the methods developed by MESH and UKSeaMap and used by EUSeaMap, which utilised the updated seabed substrate information provided by BGS. In addition a bottom up approach was taken to utilise the recently acquired point sample data and bathymetry and backscatter data sets, and this process took an object based approach supplemented by supervised classification and categorisation. Three maps for each MPA proposal have been produced (the level of habitat detail which could be mapped was restricted to level 3 or 4 of the EUNIS classification and level 2 or 3 of the MNCR classification) with associated metadata and peripheral supplementary data to aid in future analysis and interpretation. A confidence assessment using the MESH confidence assessment method has been undertaken for each habitat map produced and certainty of classification maps accompany each habitat map also.

The objective of this project was to generate seabed habitat maps for locations with full coverage acoustic datasets to as detailed a hierarchical level as possible within the Marine Habitat Classification for Britain and Ireland (version 04.05), also known as MNCR classification, (Connor et al. 2004). The acoustic data were at various stages of processing and interpretation, therefore the mapping of habitats and biotopes in some areas have required a greater amount of work to reach the same level compared to other areas. The constituent polygons within the habitat/biotope maps are labelled to an appropriate level of the Habitat Classification and translated to the corresponding EUNIS code. In order to generate seabed habitat maps for the areas the data associated with each area were required to undergo some preliminary preparation and processing in order to ensure suitability and compatibly with the mapping methodologies employed. A top-down approach was adopted based on the methods developed by MESH and UKSeaMap and used by EUSeaMap, which utilised the updated seabed substrate information provided by BGS. Three maps for each MPA proposal have been produced (the level of habitat detail which could be mapped was restricted to level 3 or 4 of the EUNIS classification and level 2 or 3 of the MNCR classification) with associated metadata and peripheral supplementary data to aid in future analysis and interpretation. A confidence assessment using the MESH confidence assessment method has been undertaken for each habitat map produced and certainty of classification maps accompany each habitat map also.

The result of a multidisciplinary field survey of the Haig Fras SAC which was initiated in January and completed during March/April 2011. The current study was initiated to investigate the extent of Annex I reef habitat at Haig Fras. Cefas and JNCC collected full-coverage multibeam bathymetric and backscatter data and associated ground-truthing data. This data has been analysed to update the extent of the Annex I reef and produce a broadscale habitat map. Seven biotopes were identified from drop camera transects with the predominant biotope characterised by Devonshire cup corals, sponges and crustose communities on wave-exposed circalittoral rock. The broadscale habitat map indicates the presence of four main biotopes; high energy circalittoral rock, moderate energy circalittoral rock, deep circalittoral coarse sediment and deep circalittoral sand.

This report describes the results from an interdisciplinary field survey aimed at identifying the location, extent and condition of Annex I habitat features in the Large Shallow Inlet and Bay of The Wash and North Norfolk Coast SAC. The habitat features of interest are (i) subtidal boulder and cobble communities, and (ii) Sabellaria spinulosa reefs. Information presented is intended to serve as a baseline for future monitoring of the identified features. Acoustic sidescan data were acquired from selected areas within the broader SAC area, together with grountruthing samples representative of distinct acoustic signatures. Groundtruthing techniques included the acquisition of video and still images of the seabed and of sediment and faunal sample. Of particular interest was an area to the north of the eastern Well survey area between 10 and 47 m deep which exhibited a high density of hard and rugged features, confirmed as boulder and cobble reef on chalk bedrock by the photographic record. This area also harboured a high number of epifaunal taxa not observed in the surrounding sediments. The area has been delimited and covers approximately 470 ha. The acoustic record did not reveal the occurrence of areas of Sabellaria spinulosa reef. Infaunal samples did collect representatives of this species but in densities too small to be considered as reef. At most sites where S. spinulosa was observed, the abundance and diversity of the whole infaunal assemblage was higher than in areas where S. spinulosa was absent. Analysis of both infaunal and epifaunal assemblages revealed several distinct communities throughout the survey area.

A map of EUNIS habitats derived from seabed substrate map and EUSeaMap modelled data including wave base and kinetic energy (wave and current) at the seabed.

A map of EUNIS habitats derived from seabed substrate map and modelled data including EUSeaMap wave base and kinetic energy (wave and current) at the seabed.

The purpose of this study was to re-survey six locations on the rocky shore within the Teesmouth and Cleveland Coast European Marine Site which had originally been surveyed in November 2003 in order to make an assessment of these habitats as a food resource for shorebirds. The original survey also provided data on the biotope composition and biodiversity of the site in order to inform Natural England on the status of the large shallow inlets and bays feature of the site.